Hi everyone. I'm somewhat of a newbie and most of my sails so far have had mastcaps, as opposed to plugs. I recently acquired a North Stiletto 5.2, and while downhauling it for the first time, apparently the plug was in crooked, as it broke in half and went flying (see picture). I'm wondering now whether I should:

1) Just use the main part of the plug even though it's now shorter (making sure it's fully in the mast!)

2) Repair it with some type of glue or epoxy, though I'm not sure how well it would hold together. If so, what type would you recommend?

3) Put a stainless steel screw in the plug for reinforcement to make up for the shorter length, as someone suggested

The way I see it, you could easy follow item 1 and simply use the existing plug, as it still should seat into the mast. However, it would be best to buy a replacement over the long term, and you can keep the existing one as a spare.

The way I see it, you could easy follow item 1 and simply use the existing plug, as it still should seat into the mast. However, it would be best to buy a replacement over the long term, and you can keep the existing one as a spare.

I agree with Chandler, however I'd bet a dozen of your friends have them in their Neil Pryde bags. I probably have a dozen of those things. Just ask anyone at your beach. You might want to post what beach you sail at so someone local can contact you.

Thanks guys. At the spots near me, I'm usually the only windsurfer (which was the case the day the plug broke); however if I drive an hour north (Stuart) or an hour south (Key Biscayne) there are plenty of others, so I will ask around next time. I haven't had any luck trying to find one online.

Most important issue is why it broke....I bet $100 that the plug wasn't all the way in. If it was 1/2 way in, it would break.

A top failure on the water means you lose all downhaul. not fun.

Always make a rig check before you go. 5 seconds.

!.) finger feel that Top plug is all in.
2.) thumbnail slide along the mast sleeve to check that there is no gap where the two mast halves are joined (Ferrule all the way in)
3.) Mast base tightly on board

Another tip: If this mast is used only for sails using that exact mast plug, use silicone caulk as glue when installing the new mast plug. No only will it stop leaks of water into the mast but helps prevent the plug from being yanked out even part way._________________Support Your Sport. Join US Windsurfing!
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Dan, it seems that you are talking about the female plug component that inserts in the mast instead of the male plug component that usually stays attached to the sail. But since you brought it up, I should point out that there a slight differences in female plug components that come from different mast manufacturers. Last year I bought a No Limitz mast and discovered that their plug included a slightly smaller hole for receiving the sail's male plug component. I could get it wedged in, but it was a total bear to disassemble. In my spare parts collection, I found another mast cap that properly accepted the sail plug, but it was too loose to properly stay seated in the mast. In the long run, I ultimately worked around the problem by replacing the No Limitz mast plug with one from the top of an older Hansen mast that fit perfectly into the No Limitz mast.

I guess the bottom line is ensuring that all the components fit together as they should. We would like to think that everything is standardized, but that's not always the case.

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